Flat Plate CollectorsFlat plate collectors are the most commonly used type collectors. They are simple in design, reliable, relatively inexpensive and are used mostly for heating water. A typical collector is just a metal box with a glass cover and copper or aluminum pipes running through it. A Flat plate collector is capable of heating water or air as high as 180 degrees Fahrenheit.
Okay, here is how they work. Water flows into the inlet pipe, flows down and up (or up and down) through the black metal pipes (Flow tubes) that are attached to the metal backing (absorber plate) picking up heat from the suns rays that are streaming through the glass cover (glazing) and then out of the collector to a insulated storage tank (like a water heater).
The storage tank would be connected to your water heater so that when the sun is not shining, your hot water heater can still function and provide you with the hot water you need. Of course you can minimize the use of your water heater by increasing the size of your storage tank! Back from Flat Plate Collectors to Solar Hot Water
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